


Nightmare

by Riku_Arisato



Category: Code Vein (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Female Protagonist, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21658444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riku_Arisato/pseuds/Riku_Arisato
Summary: The memory of a lost friend is what haunts her.
Relationships: Louis/Protagonist (Code Vein)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49
Collections: Fragments





	Nightmare

“We’re gonna find a blood bead bonanza!”

Even with that mask on, she could feel the warmth of the smile he had underneath it. She was scared, and he knew that, but he did everything he could to keep her at ease in this place.

He probably took pity on the fact that she had nothing but a broken pipe to defend herself, so he would rush forward and smash his hammer down on any lost that came her way. "You okay?" He would ask after they faced against some Lost. Once the way was clear, she would nod at him before they continue onwards.

“Please don’t fall.” He would warn her cautiously as she neared close to the edge of a cliff. Once they made it over the narrow paths, she would turn around and thank him.

Somewhere along the way, she had a feeling something was wrong. His breathing became more and more shallow as they continued, but he still managed to hide it all with his enthusiasm. He didn’t want her to be afraid, so he stayed strong for her.

When they saw a revenant bent over in the distance, Oliver approached him first only to realize too late that he had become one of the lost. Even despite his reflexes, he felt his mask slip off a bit before she could slice through the lost with a sword she picked up along their journey.

She looked over at him worriedly before rushing to his side. “Oliver! Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

_He isn’t._

“I’m gonna stay here for a bit, so you go on ahead, okay…?”

Part of her was terrified of the thought of going alone, but she had to put on a brave face. She couldn’t let his efforts to help her get this far go to waste. “I’ll be back for you.”

_You won’t._

After meeting up with another revenant she met shortly after parting ways with Oliver, she agreed to the partnership. She knew for a fact that she wasn’t quite strong enough to make it the rest of the way on her own, having only awakened just a few hours before being forced to fend for her life.

Once the two of them made it to a blood spring, there were no blood beads in sight.

“Looks like it’s dried up…” The revenant with a red blade commented as they approached the spring.

She hummed as her eyes examined the tree. She began to recall when that girl bit her and put some of her blood on the spring. Maybe if she did that again…

She pulled one of her gloves off and took out a small dagger. It stung, but she had to cut deep enough to let her blood drip onto the roots of the spring. Just like before, blood beads began to bloom on the tree and she reached up to begin picking some.

“Wait… How did you…?” The stranger questioned with surprise in his tone. His eyes widened at the phenomenon happening right before him.

“I don’t know…” She shook head and pulled her glove back on once the wound closed. Once the tree completely bloomed, she began to gather some blood beads in a pouch before handing some to him. “You can take these. That's why you're here, right?”

Hopefully with this, she had enough to free herself and that girl.

When they made it to the surface, almost all the revenants from earlier were now faded into ash. From behind, she could see Oliver crouched over with weapon in hand.

“Oliver! Thank goodness, you made it out alive!” She sighed with relief approached him happily.

“Wait! Something’s wrong!” The stranger warned as he ran after her.

Before she could get too close, Oliver turned around and swung his hammer at her. Before it could make contact, the revenant she partnered with rushed in to block the attack, causing Oliver to stumble backwards.

She looked almost angry with the stranger. "Hey, what are you doing?"

He looked at her and sighed. “Once someone is lost, they can never come back.”

When he said that, she noticed the menacing glow in his eyes behind the mask and the growth from his head. Just like he said, Oliver was one of the lost now…

_He can never come back._

“Cast aside your doubt.” He held up his red sword and narrowed his eyes at Oliver.

_It's not doubt._

A single tear escaped one of her eyes as she tightened her grip and readied her sword to fight.

_It’s regret._

The battle felt like it dragged on. Oliver was strong, she knew that very well, and she knew taking a hit from him would practically kill her. To think, the person protecting her had now become a monster that was trying to kill her.

Why did it have to be _him_? Why Oliver?

“I’m sorry…” She whispered in a pained tone before delivering the finishing blow. Her sword sliced right through him, and the lost that she once knew as Oliver Collins fell to the ground before fading away into ash. All that was left behind was the hammer he held.

The exhaustion finally hit her, and she fell to her knees. Her weapon hit the ground with a loud clang. “I’m so sorry… Oliver… I…”

Wait, the girl…

Before she could let herself rest, she looked around before running over to her and helping her up. “Hey, you okay?”

**All revenants must pay a levy… There are no exceptions.**

A voice…? It didn't sound like anyone she knew. So where was it coming from?

Her gaze followed after the voice before spotting a spiked red stone on the ground where Oliver died.

“A vestige…” The stranger commented.

**Someone has to be sacrificed.**

“…Oliver?” Her eyes narrowed as she reached out for the stone. Before she even got close, the stranger stopped her and shook his head.

"Best to stay away from those stones. Anyone who touches them is defiled, transformed into the Lost. Don’t listen to it.” He warned as he turned his back to them. “Go and make sure she’s alright. In the meantime, I’ll keep watch.”

**Without blood beads, we won’t make it!**

Despite the warnings, Oliver's voice was drawing her closer to the vestige. She knew the consequences, but proceeded to pick it up anyway.

“Wait, what are you-!”

As she held the vestige in her hand, it began to spike through her hand and she let out a pained cry. Her eyes were bright red and she screamed while a pain coursed through her veins.

“Let go, or it’ll swallow you up!” He yelled at her in desperation.

The girl put a comforting hand on her shoulder and spoke in a soothing tone. “It’s okay, you can do it.”

As she continued to hold the vestige, the pain slowly became bearable. Her eyes began to glow bright blue while a blue energy that swirled around her arm seemed to calm the vestige. Once the pain subsided, a bright light began to blind them all.

**Please, let us keep them just this once! We won’t make it if you take them!**

**All revenants must pay a levy of blood beads. There are no exceptions. Sorry…**

**Daddy! Mommy!**

**Someone has to be sacrificed. Without blood beads, we won’t make it!**

**The few humans that remain are under Silva’s control. Wandering revenants like us are forced to hunt for blood beads or face death. Even if some revenants must be… sacrificed… for our survival.**

**Well, I guess you reap what you sow… right? Well, that’s alright… What’s important is that… at least one of us makes it…**

Oliver screamed in pain as he began to transform, she fell to the ground and cried. “Oliver, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I couldn’t save you! I-“

She shot up, panting heavily. A cold sweat covered her body and she quickly kicked off her sheets before bringing both of her hands up to her face to cover both of her eyes.

That nightmare… This would make it the sixth time she’s relived that memory. Why did she have to relive that regret over and over? Was it because she couldn’t let go? Was the memory of Oliver supposed to haunt her in her dreams?

Regardless, she got up from her bed and left her room. As she wandered into the base, she noticed a small glow of light at Louis’ desk. He was sitting there, reading a book. As she approached him, he looked up and noticed her. “Good evening, Lily.”

She nodded to him. “Evening… What are you doing up, Louis?”

“Whenever I have trouble sleeping, I usually come here and read.” He asked as he motioned to the chair that was near his desk.

As she sat down, he pulled off the blanket in his lap and draped it over her shoulders. She gave him a small smile as she held the blanket closer. "Thanks..."

Louis nodded before he put his book down to give her his full attention. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Lily's vibrant pink eyes shifted downwards and she tucked some of her long hair behind her ear. “Honestly? I’ve been having this recurring nightmare… This is the sixth time it’s happened now.”

“I see… If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is this nightmare about?”

“…You… Do you remember when we first met?”

He nodded. “Yes, what about that day?”

“Well, you see… That was actually the day I woke as a revenant. Io and I were taken by a group of revenants to hunt for blood beads, but they held Io hostage while I was paired with a revenant named Oliver.” She had a small smile curl on her lips as she recalled the way he helped her during their limited time together. “He was the first person in this world to show me kindness… I was thrown into a world where if I couldn’t fight, I’d be dead. Without him there to help me through the underground, I’d probably end up alongside the Lost.”

Louis’ eyes widened a bit. “I… I had no idea…” Suddenly, everything came together. She looked so happy to see that revenant when they reached the surface, but all of that hope vanished in an instant when she realize that he was- “… So that lost we fought that day…?”

Lily nodded and frowned. “That was Oliver… He was attacked by a revenant that turned into a lost, and his mask got damaged. He told me that he was okay, and that I should go on ahead without him… He said he would catch up with me…” At this point, she began to shake. “I… I keep remembering how I couldn’t save him… He protected me for the short time we were together before I met you… He was my first friend, and I left him behind…”

To top it off, she had to be the one to kill him.

As she cried, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry about that, Lily… I didn’t realize who he was to you.” Louis wasn’t entirely sure what to say, but he continued to talk in hopes he could comfort her. “I can’t imagine the kind of pain you went through, having to witness him become a Lost then be the one to kill him. I should’ve been more mindful of what I said to you… I apologize if I came off as insensitive at that time. I only said that with the intention to help keep you safe.”

Even though Louis was their leader, he wasn't exactly the best at comforting a woman. Rin was always so cheerful and almost nothing could phase Coco. Lily was the first girl that joined him and Yakumo in exploring Vein, and he barely knew anything about her.

Somehow, she could tell he was trying his best. She did come out of nowhere with this, after all. “I understand why you said all that though. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as emotional.”

"It's nothing to apologize for." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It isn't easy, having to kill someone you knew."

Looking up at Louis, she could see something in his eyes. It's like he could understand how she felt… “Thanks for letting me talk about it, Louis…”

“It’s no problem at all. I’m just glad I was able to be of help.” Louis reassured with a small smile. “Do you think you can rest easier now?”

Lily returned the gesture before shrugging. “I really hope I can. I won’t exactly know until I go to sleep again.”

“Well, would you like me to escort you to your room?” Louis offered.

“No thanks.” She reached over and picked up a random book from his desk. “I’ll stay here and keep you company, if that’s alright?”

He looked a bit surprised. “You sure?”

“Of course.” She got comfortable and opened the book. “Besides, I've been curious about the things you read about.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this with the idea that the protagonist might hold a lot of regret for leaving Oliver behind and having to kill him.
> 
> Anyway, I don't usually post my works because I'm not the best writer. But I'm thirsty as hell for some Code Vein fanfics so I decided to post this for anyone else who's thirsty as hell for more fanfics. This will be an eventual romance in the future because I'm a sucker for romance.
> 
> I hope anyone who reads this enjoys!


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